Acceptance
by Bronze-and-Navy-is-Creating
Summary: A rather unique E/C where both go through the many trails in the sticky matter of acceptance.


This story springs from a thing I saw on Tumblr about Christine being different than she appeared (you'll see what I mean). If anyone can find the creator of this idea I will gladly give them credit. You know the one, I just don't want to give away spoilers in this little authors note. Hope you all enjoy!

O.g.

Erik sighed, unwilling to move on the floor. His eyes tracing the ceiling without ever really seeing it. His mind only fixated on replaying over and over what happened two weeks ago, when he effectively destroyed his life. Or rather, destroyed any chance of being seen as anything but a monster. But alas, that was what he was, and that is all he would ever been seen as, a monster. A monster who screams and hurts sweet angels like Christine…

 _You were afraid, it was a natural response brought on by years and years of abuse…_

 **That's no excuse. I should be making her happy, not throwing her around like a damn rag doll because she revealed the beast I-I truly am…**

 _Erik… Sometimes yes, you are an idiot, and do terrible things… but others, as in this time, there is at least something understandable behind it… And you helped her upset stairs and away when you actually were able to understand what was going on…_

 **I should have never talked to her in the first place.**

 _Can you be so sure that leaving her alone in this world would have been better?_

His inner monologue was interrupted by his alarm. Still he did not move quite yet. Not caring if someone broke in and killed him at this moment. Fitting he should die like this, sprawled on the floor in his destroyed parlour, not even an essence of the will to live. Mask half skewed and in his now ruined best clothing that was stained with drink and half falling off of his frame. He lay there for quite a while, until the alarm got to be too annoying. So, with a sigh and groan he sat up and did not even bother grabbing his coat as he limped out. Not even caring to hide his natural limp.

When he finally got down to a trap near the entrance to his domain, he paused in shock. There, in the middle of a cage, was unmistakably Christine, curled with her face buried in her hands and knees. She was shaking with tears and her ankle was slightly out and clearly caught in a nasty bare trap that Erik had designed. It had no teeth but was enough to clap and brakes ones ankle without the mess.

Slightly horrified she was hurt he instantly yanked up the cage with a small hidden lever before coming close. "Christine I-What are…" He swallowed, as he struggled to figure out what to do, never having been so lost. He knelt down and slowly reached out to pry off the trap, being beyond careful not to physically touch her. "I-I am so sorry you were hurt… Why did you come down here? It is well, usually even more dangerous than this."

She shook her head and mumbled into her hands "I-I had to see you. And you weren't answering the mirror."

"I was sure that- that you would not want to see me ever again, so I gave you space. Why on Earth would you wish to see a monster such as mys-"

"Don't call yourself that!" She snapped, almost desperately. Then added, begging "Please don-don't."

He was taken aback by her pasion. And confused by it. But, not wanting to upset her more he asked "Would you like me to take you to my home to have a look at your ankle? Again I feel so terrible about it… And yesterday-"

"Don't." she interrupted again. Something in her voice kept him silent. The room was thick with baited breath and tension. Her sobs eventually turned into half whimpers and then suddenly she swallowed, speaking into her hands "Angel, I-"

"Erik. My name is Erik… There is no use in hiding behind that false name now." He said softly.

She shook her head, messy and rather worryingly dirty, blond curls bouncing around as she did so. "No… It still is applicable. But fine. Erik… Erik, I- god how do I explain this…" She swallowed. Then she said in a shaky breath, the words falling out slowly "I was not frightened because of your face… I was frightened because I thought- thought it was a cruel trick. That I was in one of my many nightmares, not facing you but a-" She froze and Erik waited on every word, watching every small muscle movement. Not even knowing his own muscles mimicked hers.

Seconds ticked by, then finally using the last bit of her courage she whispered "I thought I was facing a mirror of my own reflection…"

Erik sat, confused. "What do you mean a mirror? Christine you are breath tak-"

"It's a mask. A very good, a very clever one. But it is a mask." She said slowly. Her face still buried for reasons Erik was starting to expect were not wholly born from emotion, she continued "My father… A few months before his death, contracting a flesh eating parasite. It is what killed him. And unfortunately I… I happened to have it as well. On my face. I would have died to but before it could kill me a local medicine woman suggested I… Burn the areas. It worked but my father was too far gone… But before he died, his friend who was an absolute genius helped make me my mask. It takes hours to apply but it is in very small layers as to mimic my actual face. So when I saw you, I thought-"

"Your fate was haunting you." He said in a hushed whisper, finally understanding. She nodded sadly in response. He took a shaky breath and asked, nearly crying himself with the plethora of emotion overwhelming him "Why did you not tell me?"

Her voice grew a bit softer and more courageous as she said "Because I thought surely an angel would want nothing to do with a face as hideous as mine. It is unholy even… In all honesty, and do not take offense to this, I'm even worse off than you…"

"Christine, regardless of how you look I still will love you. Your appearance means nothing to me, I promise." He said honestly, his voice turning into warmth and comfort itself. Deep and velvet like as it was.

Her voice was a bit lighter as she said "I think you are the only person in the world I would believe when they say that. And not because of your face but because of your heart." There was a pause before she asked in a trembling voice "M-may I show you? It is only fair… because I-I needed to know if you-you were like me."

He nodded and said "You are beyond forgiven. I should not have well- lost it. But yes, you may show me if you wish."

She was still for a long moment. Then slowly she turned her head towards him, resting her head on her knees. She kept her eyes closed, unwilling to see Erik examine her.

Erik was not going to lie to himself that by the mundane world's standards, she was in fact more hideous than himself. Where his skeletal face was at least symmetrical, hers was not. Her cheeks had giant holes, wrapped in stringy seared flesh. Her lips were mostly intact but a bit lumpy. Her jaw was eaten down to the bone in manny random patches. Her nose was gone as was eriks, but it was more of a mess of remaining burnt tissue that delicately stood out a bit trying to show the form of the nose it once made. Both cheek bones were completely exposed. The only untouched things were her eyes and eyebrows. Hinting at the stunning face she would have had if she had not fallen prey to cruel fate.

However, despite being physically worse, he only saw his Christine. His beautiful angelic Christine.

Gently, so gently it was as if his arms were made of light feathers, he drew her close and leaned her on his chest to hold her. Seeming to just know she needed this. She needed acceptance.

Upon feeling his shirt Christine broke down. No one had ever looked her in the face and not been disgusted. And so it was too much for her as she broke down again, clutching his shirt.

He ran his skeletal hand through her hair, trying his best to comfort her. Knowing she needed a moment.

When he could hear her slowly calm he said "My dear. You are still the most stunning angel I have ever met. Not because if your body but because of your soul. Your spirit. You are amazing Christine. You truly are." And much to his joy he saw a small smile come to those lumpy lips. "That's more like it."

She looked up at him from his chest and said softly "Can I… Can I take off your mask?"

He sighed and looked hestatently into her large blue eyes. They were so hopeful he closed his eyes and nodded.

She had a lot less hesitation than the first time as she gently slipped it off. But much to Eriks surprised he felt a hand rest on his sunken cheek before… before he felt her soft misshapen lips on his own paper thin ones.

His world melted away in that moment. Tears trailed down his sunken cheeks as he truly felt loved for the first time in his life.

The moment was only a few seconds, yet it seemed to last several lifetimes to Erik. When she pulled back she was crying as well, looking into his face without an ounce of fear. No in fact she looked on with nothing but love in her eyes.

Erik could have stayed like that for an eternity and been happy every second. But all moments pass and her smile filtered slightly in a wince, reminding him of her ankle.

Without pause he scooped her into his arms. She was a rather curvey woman yes but due to small stature she still felt relatively light to him so he easily carried her down the hall saying "Let us look at your ankle. I apologizes for the mess… I… Well. Had a bit of a mental break down." He admitted blushing.

She nodded sadly, knowing it was her reaction that caused it. But Erik, feeling as though he could float away with how light and happy he felt merely squeezed her shoulder saying almost giggling "Do not look upset Christine. You have made me the happiest man on Earth. In all honesty I am still in shock."

She smiled at that as they continued to walk. But slowly a blush creeped onto what remained of her cheeks and her ears. "E-Erik… I hate to impose but… something rather unfortunate happened the other day… I trusted the wrong person with what I just showed you. Honestly it's probably why it took me two weeks to tell you rather than a few days, because I well, have trust issues for reasons you understand… But I… I need to stay with you for awhile." She bit her lip and added in a trembling voice "I-I am pretty sure my career is over as well."

"Christine. What on Earth makes you think that?" He asked in shock.

"I-I told Raoul… He did not take kindly to me. Called me horrible things. I'm used to that but he seemed so offended by my face that he managed to get me kicked out of my flat, and I lost my job at the opera…"

Erik was horrified and then practically trembling with rage, but a small hand rested on his cheek and quieted whatever curses he was about to spew out. "Erik, it's fine. This has happened before. I just want to rest and be with you. I can figure out another way to perform later. I'm not mad at Raoul for acting like a normal human being at seeing me. I just want to leave him in the past, leave France in the past really… But before I do that may I stay with you angel? The streets are so cruel…"

He nodded and said softly "Of course angel. You may stay as long as you wish. And anywhere you may wish to start a new, I shall follow."

"truly?" She asked, shocked. She had always been so alone that the idea of a constant companion, one she cared for deeply, possibly loved even, sounded like heaven.

"Truly." he said nodding. Deep down he was still furious at them all, and would get his revenge before he left. But for now he would focus on caring for this angel in his arms.

He carried her in, blushing as he carried her through the destroyed house to one of the two rooms that remained untouched. Her bedroom, which he had started as a guest room that he transformed into her room, knowing she occasionally passed out right after her lessons so she had a place to rest. He settled her in bed saying "forgive the mess back there. I… have had a long few weeks."

She nodded, understanding. She gratefully sank into the pillows and mattress, relaxing in every part but her leg. He glanced at it before hurrying off to get his med kit.

He quickly returned and quickly injected a shot to numb her ankle before setting it. She winced at the noise but relaxed as he wrapped it. She looked so tired poor thing.

"I… I am truly sorry you are hurt-"

"don't. I knew you had traps and frankly I don't care. Really I don't." her tone left no room for debate. Do instead he squeezed her hand and finished the wrap. "could you eat a small snack so I can safely give you the strong painkillers?"

She nodded then her little ears tinted pink "I um… it's hard to eat without a mask of some kind. Very messy…" she said poking a finger through one of the large holes in her cheeks where her teeth were exposed.

"ah. That's true. I can relate a bit with soup." He said pointing to much smaller hoped that littered the middle of his cheek next to his molars where he had accidentally bit his cheek in the past and due to his skin it never healed. While not as bad as hers, it did prevent soup being a food option for him.

"Hmm how about I wrap your cheeks and make something you may drink through a straw? I'll try to make it tasty as you, unlike me, still have a sense of smell."

She laughed slightly and said "Well I guess I do have that going for me." Then she grew more humble in her expression as she added "Thank you Erik. For all your help."

"Don't thank me Christine. I should be thanking you. You will never understand how much you mean to me." He said quietly as he stood. With one courteous bow he limped off to make her a cup of Applesauce.

She felt there was more meaning there than she really did understand. She settled back and closed her eyes, feeling as of for once, she made the right choice.

That for once, perhaps, she wasn't as monstrous as she once thought herself to be. Gently she touched the cheek he had cupped moments before. It had been such a relaxed action with no hesitation. It had been as if neither of them were horribly deformed and were simply a courting couple. Normal.

That is what she felt for the first time in years. Truly normal. All thanks to her angel.

O.g.

I know things are going a bit fast but eh. I like it. I hope you all do to. There is much more to come as this prompt sorta spiralled into a much larger story than planned.


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